Meat grinder



Aug. 24, l1937.*v l. VANTA MEAT GRINDER Filed Nov. 12, 19:55

a sheets-sheet 1 f INVENTOR. ASA 0019 VA N7 Aug.`24,1937. l. VANT 2,090,050

MEAT GRINDER Filed NOV. 12, 1955 2 Sheefs-She-et 2 INV ENT OR. /sAoae/fj lai/v7 l Patented lAug'. v24, 10937 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l ivmA'rvGnmDEn Insadore Vant, Denver, Colo. Application November 12, 1995, semi No. 49,967

9 claims. (ci. 14s-e187) This invention relates to improvements in meat grinders of the type employed in meat markets, hotels and homes.

It is an object o this invention to produce a meat grinder that shall be so constructed that it will subject the meat to a coarse and a ne grinding operation and subject the meat after the coarse grinding operation, and beforev the fine grinding operation to a, stirring or mixing ll() operation so as to produce a better mixture of the fats and leans.

Another object of this invention is to produce a grinder inY which the pressure between the knife or knives andthe cutting disk or disks will 1 5 be entirely independent of the thrust on the feedl screw, thereby eliminating a source of friction and reducing the power necessary to operate the grinder to a minimum.

A further object is to produce a grinder in which the knife which effects the rst grinding operation is non-rotatable and in -which the meat and gristle will not wind about the knife and block the passage of meat through the grinder.

A still further object of this invention is to produce a grinder of such construction that the knives and shear plates will be held in operative engagement by spring pressure so as to prevent excessive pressures (to be applied and so that the wear and frictional resistance will be maintained at a minimum.

The above and other objects that may become apparent as the description proceeds are attained by means of .a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which the invention has been illustrated, and in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, diametrical sec' tion taken on a vertical plane, aportion of the hopper being shown in elevation; v

AFigure 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2 2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the stationary knife; Figure 4 is a plan view of the rotating shear plate that cooperates with the stationary knife; Figure 5 is a plan view of the rotating knife; Figure 6 is a plan view of the stationary shear plate with which the rotating knife cooperates; Figure I is a diametrical section-showing the invention applied to a meat grinder of the usual construction;

Figure 8 is a. section, scale, tekenen line 8 8, Figure 7;

I Figure 9 is a section taken on line 9 9, Figure to a somewhat enlargedv 7, and shows the outer lface of the rotatable shear plate which in this case has knife blades formed integral therewith;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a grinder attachment, showing the' same detached from the grinder, the endl visible in this view beingthe discharge or outer end thereof;

Figure 11 is a View similar to the one shown in Figure 4,'and illustrates a modification in which theopenings in the plate are helically arranged; an

Figure 12 is a section taken on line I2-i2, Figure 9.

In the drawings reference numeral 5 represents the housing of the grinder. In the main features, this housing is the same as those now in use, and has a feed hopper 6 which communicates with the small end of Athe' frustoconical, longitudinal opening l whose inner surface is provided with the usual longitudinal ribs whose function it is to prevent the meat from turning in the casing.

A perforated wall or partition 8 partially closes the small end of the opening, and the hole in the partition forms a bearing for the vshank 9 of the feed screw or worm I0. The end of the shankeis squared, as indicated by 'reference' numeral II, for convenience in making connection'to the drive shaft of a motor.

The left hand end of the housing (Figure has a cylindrical section I2 for making connection Witha motor frame. The worm is vof the usual construction and terminates at its enlarged end in a square shaft I3, whose extreme outer end is cylindrical, as indicated by reference numeral I4. 'I'he housing terminates in an enlarged cylindrical section I5 whose inside diameter is larger than the adjacent end of the opening 1, so as to form a shoulder I 6 on which is seated a spring II. .The inside surface of the 'cylindrical extension I5 has one or more longitudinal grooves I8, whose function will hereinafterappear. i c

VA knife, comprising a circular rim I9 anda plurality of radial, inwardly extending blades 20 is positioned in the cylindrical extension I5, and rests on the wavy spring I1 in the manner shown in Figure 1.

The rim I9' has a lug 2I that engages in the grooveY I8, and holds the knife from turning. l

The groove I8 maybe replaced by arib, and the projection 2l by a notch if any advantage is found in such a reversal.

A shear plate 22, shown in plan view in Figure 4 and `in a slightly modified form inv Figure 11,

is provided with a square central opening 23 for the reception of the square shaft I3. The diameter of the shear plate is just a little less than the diameter of the opening in thecylindrical .A shear plate 28 of substantially the same dlameter as the opening in the cylindrical extension I has a central bearing 29 for the reception of the cylindrical extension I4.

The periphery of the shear plate 28 has a lug 30 which engages the groove I8 or a correspond' ing notch if the groove is replaced by a ridge,

`and holds it from rotation. Plate 28 is provided with a plurality of holes 3| that are of smaller diameter than-the corresponding holes 24 in theshear plate 2,2. A ring 32 has a threaded engagement with the outer end of the 'cylindrical' extension I5, and has an inwardly extending.

v flange 33 that overlaps the shear plate 28 and holds the parts in the assembled relation illustrated in Figure 1.

The spring I1 is wavy, and acts to force the assembly of shear plates and cutters against the 35 flange 33. By making the spring I1 of the proper size and material, the knives will be held againstv the shear plates with theoptimum amount of force.

It is eviden-t from the above that the worm or 0 screw has nothing to do with holding the knives or cutters inv engagement with the shear disks, and therefore the only thrustagainst the partition 8 is that due to propelling the meat, and this lessens the frictional resistance and the 5 power necessary toturn the feed screwt Since the knives and shear plates are held in operative contact by the action'of the spring I1, no excessive pressures are employed, and therefore the friction and the wear is reduced to a minimum which assures that the knives will keep sharp longer, and that the power required willv be a minimum.

After the meat has been coarse cut by passing through the shear plate 22, it enters'the space 5'5 between the two shear plates where a further stirringv or mixing takes place with the result that the leans and-fats will be more uniformly intermingledv.

to wind about the same, and the passage will Y therefore not be obstructed.A

Since the shear plate 22 rotates relative to the knife blades 20, there is some advantage in 5 slanting the holes 24 in the manner indicated in Figure 11. The axes of the holes are inclined so that the discharge ends follow the intake ends and in this way the meat flows somewhat more freely.

In Figure 9 the shear plate 22a has been shown as provided with knife blades 26a formed integral therewith and such a shear plate can be substituted for the plate 22'and knife 25 with a consequent reduction of the number of parts.

75 In Figures 7, 8 and 10, the invention `has been illustrated in such a form that it can be applied as an attachment to ordinary meat grinders of the type described,` and which are not provided with the cylindrical extension I5.

In this form, the several shear plates and cutters or knives are assembled in a separate short rcylinder 34, whose outery surface is tapered to blades 28a, and the shear plate 23 are assembled' in the same way as explained in connection with Figure 1, and the assembly is held in place by a ring 36. The cylinder is held inplace by a clamping ring 33, whose inwardly extending flange engages the outer end thereof in the manner shown in Figure 7. 'Ihe worm I0 is' provided with a rsquare shaft I 3 whose outer end has a cylindrical' section I4 as described in connection with Figure 1.

- In' the claims the discharge ena or the gunner will `be referred to as the outer end and theV shear plate 28 as the outer shear plate",whi1e knife 20 willbe designated as the inner knife.y

From the above description, it will beapparent' that the meat grinder which forms the subject of this invention subjects the meat to two successive grinding operations, therebybbvia'ting the necessity of passing it through the grinder twice.

' Since the pressure between the shear disksand4 the knives or cutters is obtained by means of a spring I1, it can be maintained uniform at all Other' vIt is, of course, obvious thatas many sets of grinders as may be desirable can be arranged in series or tandem, but applicant has shown only the invention.

' Having described the invention what isclaimed- 1. A grinder 'comprising a housing dening a e between a feed inlet and a discharge outlet therein, means for moving material from the inlet to the outlet, andan assembly of cutters within the housing in the path of material moving through the same, comprising a stationary blade disposed to rst act on the material, a rotary perforated shear plate in cooperative relation therewith, a rotary cutting blade to next act on the material, and a stationary perforated shear plate in cooperative relation therewith.

2. A grinder comprising a housing defining a passage between a feed inlet and a' discharge outlet therein, means for moving material from the inlet to the outlet, an assembly of cutters within the housing in the path of material moving through the same, comprising a stationary cutter blade disposed to first act on the material, a rotary perforated shear plate in cooperative relation therewith, a rotary cutting blade to next act on the material, a stationary perforated shear plate in cooperative relation therewith, means comprising a spring positioned between vthe inner cutter blade and the housing, providing a resilient abutment, and means comprising a two sets, as this is believed to clearly illustrate flanged ring having threaded engagement with .the housing for resisting the action of-the spring.

3. A grinder comprising a housing defining a passage between a feed inlet and a discharge youtlet therein, means for moving material from the inletl to the outlet, and an assembly of cutters slidably tted in the housing in the path of material moving through the same, and comprising a hollow casing, a stationary blade within the casing disposed to first act on the material, a

rotary perforated shear plate in cooperative relation therewith, a rotary cutting blade in the casing to next act on the material, and a stationary perforated shear plate in cooperative i relation therewith.

4. A grinder comprising a housing defining a passage between avfeed inlet and a discharge outlet therein, means formoving material from l the inlet tothe outlet, and an assembly of cutters within the housing in the path of the m-aterial moving through the same, comprising a stationary blade disposed to first act on the material, a rotary perforated shear plate in cooperative relation therewith, and a stationary perforated shear plate having a transversely extending blade on its face adjacent .the rotary shear,

plate and in cooperative relation therewith.

5. In a meat grinder having a housing provided at one end with a feed hopper and having '30 a.screw for feeding the meat from the` hopper toward the other end, means for grinding the meat comprising a knife provided with inwardly ranging blades, a perforated shear plate located in the housing, its inner surface contacting with the knife, means for holding the knife from rotating, a second shear plate located beyond the first mentioned one, outwardly ranging knife blades located between the two. shear plates-and in operative engagement with the second one,

40 means engaging the second shear plate for holding it from outward movement, means for holding the second shear plate fromnrotating, means comprising a spring for urgingtheinner knife lagainst-the adjacent shear plate, and the second mentioned knife against.v the second shear plate, and means comprising the screw for turning` the inner shear plate and the second mentioned `knife blades relative to the inner stationary knife and the stationary shear plate.

A -0 6. In a meat grinder having a-,housing provided' at one end with a feed hopper and having a screw for feeding the meat from the hopper the housing terminating in acylindrical opening, ashoulder at the inner end of the Cylindrical opening, a -knife provided with a plurality of substantially radial blades located inthe inner end of the cylindrical opening, means for holdingthe knife from turning relative lto the housing, a

shear plate'having a plurality of perforations,

toward the outer end thereof, the outer end of first and provided with a plurality of perforations, which are smaller than the perforations in the first .mentioned shear plate, a plurality of outwardly ranging knife blades in operative engagement with the inner surface ofthe second shear plate, means for limiting the outward movement of the second shear plate, resilient means, comprisinga spring, positioned between the shoulder and the inner surface of theinner knife for urging the knives into operative engagement with their adjacent shear plates, means for holding the second shear plate from turning, and means comprising the screw for turning the first men- .tioned shear plate relative to the inner knife. and the outer knife blades relative to the second mentioned shear plate.

7. In a, meat grinder having a housing provided with an opening, a feed hopper in 'communication with one end of the opening, and means comprising a screw for moving material from the feed hopper to the discharge end of the opening, grinding meanspositioned in the discharge .end of the opening, said means comprising two sets of grinders each set consisting of a perforated shear plate and a knife having outwardly ranging blades, the knives being located against the inside surfaces of their respective vshear plates, the inner knife and the outer shear plate being held vagainst rotation, means comprising the screw for rotating the inner shear plate and the outer knife, means for holding the assembly of knives and shear plates in assembled relation, and resilient means for urging the knives toward the adjacent surfaces of their respective shear plates.

' having a plurality of blades, supported by the spring, means for holdingthe knife from turning in the opening, a perforated shear plate rotatably mounted in the opening with its inner surface in engagement with theblades of the knife, the shear plate having'a central non-circular opening for the reception, of a driving member, a knife 'located adjacent the outside of the shear plate,

:ir-second` perforated `shear plate, located on the oitside of the second knife, means for holding the outer shear plate from rotating, and means 'comprising a flanged. ring in adjustable. relation to the hollow member for holding the vassembly,

against movement outwardly while permitting inward movement to the extent permitted by the spring.

. 9. A device in accordance with claim 8 in which the knife'blades ,that cooperate with the outer shear plate are integral with the inner shear plate. 

